Discuss the latest comic book news and front page articles, read or post your own reviews of comics, and talk about anything comic book related. Threads from the two subforums below will also show up here. News Stand topics can also be read and posted in from The Asylum.

The actor makes a late career comeback reprising his role as a high school principle in Marvel's new Nova ongoing.

Source: Press Release

Cynics and people with good taste have been dreading Jeph Loeb's reboot of the Nova franchise since it was first announced at Comic Con last year. For one thing, the series puts Sam Alexander in the role of Nova instead of Richard Rider, a change first instituted in the widely despised Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon. For another, the book is written by Jeph Loeb, who was a popular writer up until ten years ago when he was allegedly abducted by aliens and involved in a scientific experiment to infuse his DNA with the DNA of the worst writers in the history of the planet, such as Chuck Austen, Dan Didio, and Rob Liefeld, in order to create a new breed of terrible writer, because aliens are jerks. After months of threatening readers with the books' release, it's finally hitting stores on January 20th, and Marvel has sent out a preview.

The preview is unremarkable except for the appearance of Michael Berryman, star of classic films like The Hills Have Eyes and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Berryman, who is disfigured due to hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, a disease whose latin name translates roughly to "still better looking than a typical fanboy", also starred in the 1985 Motley Crue video Smokin' in the Boy's Room, playing a high school principle who disapproved of the band's desire to consume cigarettes in the school bathroom. Smokin', long considered a behavior that indicates coolness and sophistication, was despised by Berryman's character in the video, who represented uncool authority.

Almost thirty years later, the world has grown a giant vagina, leading smoking to be frowned upon due to its propensity to cause death. As a result, Berryman's character can now be viewed as a sort of hero in his iconic role, tragically pulled into a men's room mirror alternate universe by four long-haired ruffians for the crime of standing up for the health and safety of his students. In the new Nova series, Berryman is rescued from the mirror by the new Nova and resumes his role as a heroic administrator, thwarting the efforts of a school bully, distinguished by his seven foot tall frame and badass sleeveless hoodie, to steal a skateboard from Sam Alexander. Finally, Berryman's character will be recognized as the authoritarian hero he truly is.

Or at least we hope that's what happens, because it would be more interesting than anything Loeb has done since the first arc of Superman/Batman in 2003.

"When we look at these previews, we have to come up with something interesting and funny to say about them," said Jude Terror, the reporter writing this article. "Sometimes we hit it out of the park. Sometimes it's a swing and a miss. We'll let you decide which this is."

"Isn't that guy also Sloth from The Goonies?" we asked.

"No," responded Terror. "That's a guy who looks exactly like this guy, but they're not the same person. It's kind of like how people confuse me with Brad Pitt all the time."

Here's Marvel's press release:

The Year’s Most Exciting New Super Hero Enters Marvel NOW! In NOVA #1!

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at NOVA #1 from the chart-topping, award-winning creative team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness! You met Sam Alexander, the all-new Nova, in the pages of last year’s blockbuster hit Avengers VS X-Men—but what is his secret origin? How is he connected to the Guardians of the Galaxy? And just why is Sam the only one worthy to carry on the legacy of the Nova Corps? These answers reveal shocking secrets about the Marvel Universe and help set the stage for the biggest comic book event of the year!

Each issue of Nova includes a code for a free digital copy on the Marvel Comics app (for iPhone®, iPad®, iPad Touch® & Android devices) and in the Marvel Digital Comics Shop. Additionally, each issue of Nova features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app – including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.

UPDATE: Some news outlets, such as MTV Geek, are suggesting that the character depicted in Nova is not Michael Berryman, but actually the principal from the Back to the Future movies. The Outhouse is disappointed that a respectable media site would stoop so low as to jump to such unfounded conclusions based on nothing more than a passing resemblance in some preview pages.

LOLtron wrote:Jeph Loeb, who was a popular writer up until ten years ago when he was allegedly abducted by aliens and involved in a scientific experiment to infuse his DNA with the DNA of the worst writers in the history of the planet, such as Chuck Austin

Austen

LOLtron wrote:Almost thirty years later, the world has grown a giant vagina, leading smoking to be frowned upon due to its propensity to cause death.

Eh... technically, but he was created by Jeph Loeb and Ultimate Spider-Man is Loeb's baby. While USM didn't debut until April 2012, it had to be in production back when Point One came out, and I'm sure the purpose of introducing him in there was to get the character into the comics universe so it could match up with the awful show. IMO YMMV.